Morphological and molecular evidence for new genera in the Afrotropical Cteninae (Araneae, Ctenidae) complex

Recent missions to Mount Nimba in West Africa led to the discovery of remarkable new ctenid morphospecies. Using both morphological and molecular data, we phylogenetically analysed 41 ctenid exemplars, 33 of which originate from Mt. Nimba. Partial fragments of two mitochondrial markers and one nuclear marker (COI, 16S and H3, respectively) were amplified and sequenced for the molecular analyses. The morphological analysis was updated from an earlier one. Our results reveal that Mt. Nimba harbours at least 22 species, and is the most species-rich area for ctenids in West Africa. Using both molecular and morphological data, five new genera are created to accommodate the many species that are misplaced in the genus Ctenus. Eight species new to science are described: Amicactenus mysticus gen. nov., sp. nov.; Macroctenus herbicola gen. nov., sp. nov.; Macroctenus nimba gen. nov., sp. nov.; Macroctenus vandenspiegeli gen. nov., sp. nov.; Nimbanahita montivaga gen. nov., sp. nov.; Perictenus molecula gen. nov., sp. nov.; Piloctenus haematostoma gen. nov., sp. nov.; and Piloctenus gryseelsi gen. nov., sp. nov. The following taxonomic changes are proposed: Ctenus eminens, C. pergulanus Arts, 1912 and C. fallax Steyn & Van der Donckt, 2003 are transferred to Amicactenus gen. nov.; C. kingsleyi and C. occidentalis F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1898 are transferred to Macroctenus gen. nov.; C. mirificus Arts, 1912 and C. pilosus Thorell, 1899 are transferred to Piloctenus gen. nov.